uch display of gallantry on his part!

And, indeed, the unprecedented action of the gruff old Serbian General
in taking Princess Delgrado for a drive that evening was destined to
have consequences not to be foreseen by any person, least of all the
young couple whose contemplated marriage was then in the mouths of all
men. It was the first step in the new march of events. Stampoff meant
to prove to the King's mother that her son would be ruined in the eyes
of his people if he married a foreigner, ruined instantly and
irretrievably, no matter how gracious and pleasing Joan might seem to be
in their eyes, and, true to his military caste, he wasted no time in
making the Princess aware of his motive in seeking this tete-a-tete
conversation.

"I think I am right in assuming that you approve of the young American
lady as your son's wife," said he when the carriage was clear of the
paved streets and bowling smoothly along the south bank of the Danube on
the only good driving road outside the city.

"The notion startled me at first," confessed the Princess; "but the more
I see of Joan the more I like her. Alec and she are devoted to each
other, and I am sure she will be popular, for she is the type of woman
who will take her position as Queen seriously."

"She is admirable in every respect," interrupted Stampoff; "but she
suffers from one defect that outweighs all her virtues,--she is not a
Serb."

"Nor am I," said the Princess quickly; "yet no one seems to find fault
with the King on that ground."

"One cannot judge the conditions that hold good to-day by those which
existed twenty-five years ago," said Stampoff gravely. "When Prince
Michael married you, madame, he was an exile; but Alexis is the
reigning King, and he will offend his people mortally if he brings in a
foreigner to share his throne."

Princess Delgrado was bewildered by this sudden attack. She turned and
scanned the old man's impressive features with feverish anxiety. "What
do you mean?" she asked quickly. "Are you trying to enlist my aid in a
campaign against my son's chosen wife? If so, you will fail, General. I
am weary to death of political intrigues and the never ceasing tactics
of wirepullers. I have been surrounded by them all my life, and I
thanked Providence in my heart when I saw that my son began his reign by
sweeping aside the whole network of lies and artifice. He has not
imposed himself on his people. He is here by their own free will, and i